Building a group with other farmers can have many advantages. Everyone can help but at the same time learn something.
Some farmers need training to know for example how much they can trade their products for. Therefore, they lose money. In a group, farmers can come together and share their knowledge and equipment with each other.
Working in a group
In self help groups are usually small farmers that are helping each other and want to expand their knowledge. The group can tell each other about different management practices that they can adopt for their land, new ideas and predecessors. Together they can handle their challenges.
A group can decide their own rules. Therefore it is important to talk about who can join the self help group. You could for example decide that the new member has to live in a certain area, works with conservation agriculture or is a good hardworking person. The members also decide about the organizing structure of the group. For example you can choose a chairman, a secretary, a treasurer and other officers.
In the group you can help each other financially. Therefore you could start micro financing. Everytime you meet, everyone brings a small amount of money. This money can be borrowed to the group members to buy fertilizer, seeds or pay for labour. The member pays back the money with interest.
Often farmers have difficulties to decide the prize on their products. They tend to have different amounts of goods. You could put your harvest together and sell the big product for more money.
Another advantage is, that you could buy equipment together, which usually would be to expensive for one farmer alone. An additional possibility would be to buy products in a bulk purchase for the group to get it cheaper.
Extensionists and other collaborators like to work with groups, because it is easier for the government and other agencies to train and organize with a group.
